Best Times To Post on TikTok, Shorts & Reels

Why Timing Matters For Short-Form Growth

Short-form algorithms move fast. When you post, the platform quickly tests your video with a small group of viewers. If they watch, like, share, and comment, the video gets pushed to more people.

If you post when your audience is asleep or busy, those first few minutes and hours are weak. Low early engagement signals can slow down your reach before your content even has a chance.

Good timing will not fix bad content, but bad timing can bury good content.

In this guide, you’ll get:

Data-backed “good starting points” for posting on:
- TikTok
- YouTube Shorts
- Instagram Reels
Time suggestions by weekday and weekend
How to find your own best times using analytics
A simple testing plan you can run in 14 days

Use this as a starting framework, then customize it with your own data.

General Posting Principles Across All Platforms

Before we split by platform, there are a few rules that apply everywhere.

Post when your audience is awake and scrolling
Think in terms of your audience’s time zone, not your own. If most of your viewers are in the US but you live in Europe, you’ll likely need to schedule content.
Avoid the extreme peaks
Midday and early evening are good, but the exact “craziest” peak can be flooded with uploads. Sometimes hitting right before the main rush works better than aiming dead center.
Consistency beats guessing
A decent time, posted consistently every week, will beat the “perfect” time used randomly.
Watch your first 2 hours closely
Most short-form videos get a clear initial performance signal in the first 30 to 120 minutes. If that early bump is strong and repeatable at a certain time, you’re close to your sweet spot.

Best Times To Post On TikTok

TikTok is fast, chaotic, and heavily driven by For You page testing. It also has one of the most global audiences, so time zones matter a lot.

Below are starting point times based on multiple creator reports and industry studies. All times are in your main audience’s time zone.

Good TikTok Posting Windows

Weekdays (Mon - Fri):

Morning: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Midday: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Evening: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Weekends (Sat - Sun):

Late morning: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Afternoon: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Evening: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

If you want a single “safe bet” to start testing:
Weekdays around 11:30 AM and 7:00 PM tend to perform well for many accounts.

How To Refine Your TikTok Timing

Check your TikTok analytics
- Switch to a Business or Creator account if you haven’t already.
- Go to Analytics → Followers.
- Look at “Follower activity” to see when your audience is most active by hour.
Post 2 to 3 times per day in different windows
For 7 to 14 days, try this structure:
- One post in the morning window
- One post around lunch
- One post in the early evening
Track two simple metrics for each post:
- Views after 1 hour
- Views after 24 hours
Look for patterns, not perfect answers
You might notice that “evening posts get 40 to 60 percent more views in the first hour.” That is enough data to shift more content toward that window.

Quick TikTok Tips

Avoid posting 3 videos within the same 10 minutes. Spread them out by at least 1 to 2 hours.
If you go live, try to post a strong video 30 to 60 minutes before your live. This can push more people into your live session.
Trends die fast. If you’re using a trending sound, timing matters even more. Post as soon as your video is ready rather than waiting for a “perfect” slot.

Best Times To Post On YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts behaves differently because it’s tied to your existing channel and long-form content. Shorts can have a slower burn and keep gaining views long after upload, but early signals still help.

Good YouTube Shorts Posting Windows

Weekdays (Mon - Fri):

Morning: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
After school / work: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Evening: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Weekends (Sat - Sun):

Late morning: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Afternoon: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

If you need one go-to window:
Aim for 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM in your main audience’s time zone.

Use YouTube Analytics To Dial It In

YouTube gives you a powerful chart inside Analytics → Audience:

“When your viewers are on YouTube”

Use that chart to choose a 2 to 3 hour block where the purple bars are darkest.

Simple timing method:

Pick your top 2 “dark” windows from the chart.
For example:
- 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Post Shorts mainly inside those windows for 2 weeks.
Compare performance to your older videos:
- Average views in 48 hours
- Average watch time percentage
- Subscriptions gained per Short

If newer Shorts during those windows show stronger early views and higher average view duration, you’ve found a good posting zone.

Quick Shorts Tips

Try pairing a Short with a long-form post on the same day, about 1 to 3 hours apart, to support each other.
Titles and thumbnails still matter, even for Shorts that autoplay. Strong hooks get more people to stop scrolling.
You don’t need to spam uploads. Often 1 to 2 high quality Shorts per day at strong times will outperform 6 random uploads.

Best Times To Post On Instagram Reels

Instagram is more social than TikTok and YouTube, so your audience’s routine matters a lot. People often check Instagram before work, during breaks, and in the evening.

Good Instagram Reels Posting Windows

Weekdays (Mon - Fri):

Early morning: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Midday: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Early evening: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Weekends (Sat - Sun):

Late morning: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Afternoon: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

For most niches, a strong starting point is:
Weekdays between 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM and 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM.

Use Instagram Insights To Find Your Hot Spots

Go to your Professional Dashboard
Open Insights → Total followers
Scroll to “Most active times” by hours and days

Look for:

The days with the highest activity
The 3 to 4 hour blocks where follower activity spikes

Post Reels about 30 to 60 minutes before the peak activity window, so your content is already in the feed when your audience jumps on.

Quick Reels Tips

Avoid posting right when you know your audience is at work or in class, unless your niche is work-related.
Reels can perform well even 24 to 72 hours after posting, but strong early saves and shares are a very good sign.
Cross-post winning TikToks and Shorts to Reels, but adjust captions and sounds to fit Instagram’s culture.

How To Find Your Own Best Posting Times In 14 Days

The truth: universal “best times” are just educated guesses. Your audience’s age, country, and routine will shift everything.

Here’s a simple 14-day plan to find what works for you across TikTok, Shorts, and Reels.

Step 1: Pick 3 Time Slots Per Platform

Use the windows from this guide and your analytics. For each platform, choose 3 slots:

Morning slot (for example 8:00 AM)
Midday slot (for example 12:30 PM)
Evening slot (for example 6:30 PM)

Try to keep these consistent for the full 14 days.

Step 2: Post At Least Once Per Slot, Per Week

For each platform, aim for:

1 video in each slot on weekdays
1 video in your best guess weekend slot

If you can’t post that much, spread it out, but keep the times consistent.

Step 3: Track Simple Metrics

Create a tiny spreadsheet or use a Notion table. For each video, log:

Platform
Date
Time posted
Views after 1 hour
Views after 24 hours
Engagement rate (likes + comments + shares / views, if you want to go deeper)

You don’t need perfect data. You just need enough to see patterns.

Step 4: Look For Clear Winners

After 14 days, ask:

Which time slot gives me the highest average views after 24 hours?
Are weekends stronger or weaker than weekdays?
Does my audience respond more in the morning or at night?

Shift 70 to 80 percent of your posts into the top performing slots, then keep experimenting with the remaining 20 to 30 percent.

Step 5: Recheck Every 2 To 3 Months

People’s routines change:

School vs summer break
Holidays
New countries discovering your content

Make it a habit to revisit your analytics every few months and adjust.

Final Thoughts

There is no single magic posting time that fits every creator. What you can have is a tested, proven schedule that fits your audience.

Use the timing windows in this guide as launch pads:

TikTok: mornings, lunch, and evenings, with a focus on 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM
YouTube Shorts: afternoons and early evenings, especially 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Instagram Reels: early mornings, lunch breaks, and early evenings

Then let your analytics do the real work.

If you’re using ShortsFire to plan and batch content, plug your best-performing time slots into your schedule and stick with them for at least a month. Combine strong timing with strong hooks, tight edits, and clear value, and your odds of going viral go up every single week.